Author: karlfreitag

Exciting former world champion Nonito Donaire (37-4-0, 24 KOs) will return to the ring to take on Ruben Garcia Hernandez (22-2-1, 9 KOs) for the WBC Silver Featherweight Title in a bout that takes place alongside the World Boxing Super Series Quarterfinals on Saturday, September 23 from the Alamodome live in San Antonio and presented by Ringstar Sports.

The Boxing community, family and friends said the last goodbye to a legendary champion yesterday in Mexico City. Ultiminio Ramos passed away at the age of 75 due to severe complications from cancer. Ultiminio, knows as “Sugar Ramos” was the first ever champion of the WBC as he conquered the featherweight title in a tragic fight vs Davey Moore in March of 1963. Born in Cuba, brought to Mexico along with Jose “Mantequilla” Napoles, Cuco Conde and Kid Rapidez, will be remembered for his charismatic smile, joyful conversation and his passion for music. Continue reading “The 12th Round: Safety First”

The Boxing community, family and friends said the last goodbye to a legendary champion yesterday in Mexico City. Ultiminio Ramos passed away at the age of 75 due to severe…Read More »

A media rights agreement with ITV has been struck to showcase the inaugural 2017/18 season of the World Boxing Super Series in the UK starting September 9. ITV will exclusively cover the 16 elite boxers competing across 14 different Fight Nights all over the world to see who will claim the Muhammad Ali Trophy.

The fights will be shown on a combination of ITV’s free-to-air and pay-per-view platforms with the second Quarter-Final Fight Night featuring Callum Smith vs. Erik Skoglund from Liverpool’s Echo Arena to be shown live on ITV4 on September 16. The WBSS will be of particular interest to the British audience with Chris Eubank Jr. fighting Turkish Avni Yildirim and the all British duel between George Groves and Jamie Cox at The SSE Arena, Wembley in October both being shown on ITV Box Office.

Can a U.S. television deal be far away?

A media rights agreement with ITV has been struck to showcase the inaugural 2017/18 season of the World Boxing Super Series in the UK starting September 9. ITV will exclusively…Read More »

Anthony Joshua MBE will defend his World Heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on October 28, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Joshua returns to the ring following his epic battle with Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in April where the Brit added the WBA strap to his IBF belt in an enthralling contest with the future hall-of-fame legend, climbing off the canvas to record an 19th straight KO win in front of a record-breaking crowd in London.

Online sportsbooks have established former world champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (46-1, 38 KOs) as a -335 favorite to avenge his loss to current WBC super flyweight champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai…Read More »

Hennessy Sports has announced that the WBO world heavyweight championship title fight between Joseph Parker and Hughie Fury on Saturday September 23rd at the Manchester Arena will be shown exclusively live in the UK and Ireland via YouTube on a pay-per-view basis with further countries to be announced shortly. A portion of the undercard will also be streamed for free before the big fight. Prices are only £9.99 in the UK and €11.99 in the Republic of Ireland, a far cry from the $99 American fight fans shelled out for Mayweather-McGregor. Continue reading “Parker-Fury on YouTube PPV”

Hennessy Sports has announced that the WBO world heavyweight championship title fight between Joseph Parker and Hughie Fury on Saturday September 23rd at the Manchester Arena will be shown exclusively…Read More »

Sergey Lipinets (12-0, 10 KOs) and Akihiro Kondo (29-6-1, 16 KOs) could fight for the recently vacated IBF junior welterweight title in November. The two are the next highest ranked contenders available following Terrance Crawford’s decision to vacate the belt after unifying the titles from all four major organizations. Manager Andrew Zak of Journeyman Management and Alex Vaysfeld of Union Boxing Management confirmed that both parties are interested in the fight and are working on details to make the fight official. Continue reading “Lipinets-Kondo in play for IBF 140lb title in November”

Lipinets-Kondo in play for November Sergey Lipinets (12-0, 10 KOs) and Akihiro Kondo (29-6-1, 16 KOs) could fight for the recently vacated IBF junior welterweight title in November. The two…Read More »

Aggressive challenger Daniel Roman (23-2-1, 9 KOs), 121.75, US, impressively captured the WBA super-bantamweight belt when he sent defending champ Shun Kubo (12-1, 9 KOs), 121.75, a taller Japanese southpaw, to the deck twice, effectively followed it up and finally halted him with the referee’s intervention at 1:21 of the ninth round on Sunday in Kyoto, Japan.

Prior to the well-timed halt, the official tallies were nearly shutout—Hernando Steidel (Puerto Rico) and Silvestre Abainza (Philippines) both 80-70, Jean-Francois Toupin (France) 79-72, all in Roman’s favor. The referee was Pinit Prayadsab (Thailand) who made a well-received stoppage even by Kubo’s adherents at his home turf.

Phila Mpontshana retained the South African junior-lightweight title for the first time when he stopped the gutsy Lucky Monyebane in the eleventh round at the Portuguese Hall in Turfontein, Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon.

Mpontshana (58.68kg) made a slow start and possibly only shared the second round but did enough to shade the third. However, Monyebane (57.96kg) had a good fourth round scoring with his southpaw left to the head and body. Continue reading “Mpontshana retains SA title”

By Ron Jackson Phila Mpontshana retained the South African junior-lightweight title for the first time when he stopped the gutsy Lucky Monyebane in the eleventh round at the Portuguese Hall…Read More »

According to promoter Kalle Sauerland, the World Boxing Super Series will take special measures to prevent draws. First, instead of three judges, there will be four judges scoring the fight. However, the fourth scorecard will only be used if the other three cards result in a draw. In the event the fourth card is also a draw, the winner of the final round will decide who moves ahead in the tournament. Sauerland points out that this rule change has been approved by all four world organizations. In addition, he stated that “instant replay” will be used to help assess controversial situations, and all fighters are subject to VADA testing.

The $50 million WBSS tournament kicks off Saturday in Berlin with a quarterfinal clash between WBO cruiserweight champion Aleksandr Usyk and former champ Marco Huck. The two-division tourney has attracted virtually all the world’s top cruiserweights, along with a strong crop of super middleweights.

With just five days to go, there are still no networks carrying the 14 match tournament in the USA. Part of the problem is 1) a shortage of American participants, and 2) with most the fights taking place in Europe, networks don’t care for the afternoon start times Stateside. Hopefully, USA television will step up and carry the package.

According to promoter Kalle Sauerland, the World Boxing Super Series will take special measures to prevent draws. First, instead of three judges, there will be four judges scoring the fight.…Read More »

Future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao has not ruled out a rematch with WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn BUT Pacman wants the fight in the Philippines. “It will not push through there in Australia, but we are bringing the fight here in the Philippines,” Pacquiao said on radio station DZBB, adding negotiations were ongoing. “This will be good for our country’s tourism.”

Meanwhile, former WBA super middleweight champion Anthony Mundine, the all-time pay-per-view sales king in Australia, has also called out Horn. “The Man” stated on Twitter, “Y’all wanna see it ?? I’ll show y’all he ain’t what they say !! I’ll hit him with more combinations than a bank.” Mundine said on his Facebook page he would fight Horn at 154 pounds.

By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing Future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao has not ruled out a rematch with WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn BUT Pacman wants the fight…Read More »

Toledo’s lightweight Albert Bell was in complete control Saturday night as he did pretty much as he pleased in winning a six round decision (60-53 x 3) over South Bend’s Tyrome Jones at the Seagate Convention Center to improve his record to (8-0, 2 KO’s). Jones (4-2, 1 KO) fought most of the fight with his gloves held high and tight against his head.

Sad to report that Hall of Fame former featherweight world champion Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos passed away at the age of 75 in Mexico City after a long fight against cancer. In 1963 Ramos was crowned World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council champion by stopping Davey Moore at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Tragically Moore died four days after the bout.

Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Ramos moved to Mexico to escape communist regime of Fidel Castro. He eventually became an idol of Mexican boxing, retiring in 1972 with a record of 55-7-4, 40 KOs.

By Gabriel F. Cordero Sad to report that Hall of Fame former featherweight world champion Ultiminio “Sugar” Ramos passed away at the age of 75 in Mexico City after a…Read More »

Aggressive challenger Daniel Roman (23-2-1, 9 KOs), 121.75, US, impressively captured the WBA super-bantamweight belt when he sent defending champ Shun Kubo (12-1, 9 KOs), 121.75, a taller Japanese southpaw, to the deck twice, effectively followed it up and finally halted him with the referee’s intervention at 1:21 of the ninth round on Sunday in Kyoto, Japan.

Former WBA super middleweight champion Anthony “The Man” Mundine has challenged WBO welterweight champion Jeff “The Hornet” Horn via a text message and the former Brisbane schoolteacher is considering it since boxing legend Manny Pacquiao now balking at a November rematch. Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan is also crunching the numbers and will discuss with co-promoter Bob Arum if Horn-Mundine is feasible.

“Obviously, Pacquiao was our priority,” Lonergan said. “I find it surprising Anthony thinks he can get in a ring with Jeff Horn but it would be a nice tune-up fight for something bigger. We’re on the big stage now but Jeff’s got to keep fit and keep fighting and you never know in boxing. Continue reading “Mundine challenges Horn”

OPBF and WBO Asia Pacific 130-pound champ, WBC#11/WBO#3 Masayuki Ito (22-1-1, 11 KOs) engaged in a non-title ten rounder, was bewildered by the opening attack of Filipino Glenn Enterina (11-3-1, 8 KOs) but dropped him with an overhand right in the fourth and finally halted him at 1:32 of the sixth round on Saturday in Tokyo, Japan.

The bright prospect Ito, then OPBF ruler, had unified another regional belt by defeating WBO ASPAC titlist Takuya Watanabe on points on New Year’s Eve of the previous year. Enterina showed his power and heart in the opening session, but Ito found his range and rhythm, outpunching the game Filipino with effective combinations from the second round on. As he decked Enterina in the closing seconds of round four, it became a lopsided affair with Masayuki battering him to the punch. The ref declared a well-timed halt to save the good loser. Continue reading “WBO #3 Ito stops Filipino Enterina”

“Jones was very dirty,” said former world champion Antonio Margarito after his technical decision win over Carson Jones on Saturday night. “The whole fight he gave me head butts and from the second round the cut constantly affected me. I was telling the referee to watch for his head butts, but in the end justice was done. I will continue in my goal to seek a fight with Miguel Cotto.”

Photo: Julio Rivera, Imago/Zanfer

“Jones was very dirty,” said former world champion Antonio Margarito after his technical decision win over Carson Jones on Saturday night. “The whole fight he gave me head butts and…Read More »

The comeback of former world champion Antonio Margarito (41-8, 27 KOs) continued on Saturday night at the Gimnasio “Manuel Bernardo Aguirre” in Chihuahua, Mexico. The “Tijuana Tornado” suffered a bad cut over his surgically repaired right eye in round two against veteran super welterweight Carson Jones (40-12-3, 30 KOs).

The fight featured good two-way action while Margarito’s blood streamed steadily until the fight was halted after round seven. Since the cut was ruled caused by a headbutt, the bout went to the scorecards where Margarito prevailed 67-65, 68-64 and 67-65. Jones was deducted a point for a headbutt in round five. Continue reading “Margarito wins bloody tech decision, Cotto next?”

By Karl Freitag Photos: Julio Rivera, Imago/Zanfer The comeback of former world champion Antonio Margarito (41-8, 27 KOs) continued on Saturday night at the Gimnasio “Manuel Bernardo Aguirre” in Chihuahua,…Read More »

At Friday’s weigh-in in Chihuahua, Mexico, the “Tijuana Tornado” Antonio Margarito again stated that his goal is a rubber match with WBO jr middleweight world champion and archrival Miguel Cotto.

Photo: ZanferAntonio Margarito: “I reiterate: I will win Saturday. It will be a great fight and then I’ll force Miguel Cotto to retire in December. That rivalry isn’t over. He hits like a girl and knows that he was helped in the second fight, but right now my focus is Jones.”

At Friday’s weigh-in in Chihuahua, Mexico, the “Tijuana Tornado” Antonio Margarito again stated that his goal is a rubber match with WBO jr middleweight world champion and archrival Miguel Cotto.…Read More »